Database software company MongoDB Inc. rolled out its next-gen developer data platform during today’s .local conference in New York City.

MongoDB’s multi-city tour kickoff provided a platform for the company to unveil its new offerings designed to address ever-evolving developer needs. Among the many topics of discussion were the additions to MongoDB’s toolset, including Stream Processing and Vector additions.

MongoDB’s journey resembles familiar trajectories within the data space, according to Tony Baer (pictured, left), principal at dbInsight LLC.

“For years, we never took SQL Server seriously, until we did,” he said. “I would say that’s very much the path that MongoDB is going. They’ve always been a very developer-centric company. But as they become more enterprise, they’re becoming more of a data-centric company. It’s a good tug of war, but you’re seeing them going through a transition.”

Baer, along with Sanjeev Mohan (right), principal at SanjMo, and Doug Henschen (middle), vice president and principal analyst at Constellation Research Inc., spoke with theCUBE industry analyst John Furrier at the MongoDB .local NYC event, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed MongoDB’s continued evolution into a developer data platform and the introduction of its next-gen developer solutions, as well as the event’s keynote address. (* Disclosure below.)

Setting the stage for a data-centric future

MongoDB’s ongoing efforts to cater to its developer base is notable, including new additions such as faster queries and the ability to manage time-series data effectively. These changes underscore the company’s shift from a traditional database model to a developer-centric approach, according to Mohan.

“They are adding new features, so I see two tracks happening: One is above the line, adding Stream Processing and Vector, so new capabilities,” he said. “And then below the line, which is enhancing what’s already there, like faster queries.”

As the demand for data apps escalates, MongoDB has solidified its strategy and made crucial changes to its approach, including transitioning from a general-purpose database to a developer data platform.

“They really have the developer loyalty. Their earnings have shown they’re very sticky,” Henschen said. “They’re not seeing some of the fade that some of the analytics-focused companies are seeing.”

He further stressed the importance of MongoDB’s new capabilities to resonate with its loyal user base, including the new SQL interface and the SQL migrator functionality.

AI wave and vector data: An integral future

There was consensus among the analysts that artificial intelligence is a significant part of the future. MongoDB’s move to integrate vector data capabilities into its platform signals a powerful addition to its service offerings, enabling more dynamic and efficient data management.

“A lot of this vector data, a lot of these embeddings will naturally take kind of a very documented nested model,” Baer said.

He also noted the increasing prevalence of vector capabilities in modern data handling, highlighting that another significant aspect of a vector engine or database is the ability to search those vectors and index them effectively.

Grading the .local keynote

Baer, Mohan and Henschen graded the event keynote as a “B,” appreciating MongoDB’s continued innovation and commitment to serving its developer base. Furrier, however, awarded an “A-” to the keynote presentation, applauding MongoDB’s positioning as a developer-first company. He emphasized that data is not just about databases anymore, suggesting that MongoDB is on the right track as the market moves toward a more holistic approach to data handling and management.

“The market’s changing radically. I think it’s going to be very DevSecOps,” he said. “If that’s true, that’s going to be at the forefront, like security. I think the infrastructure’s going to evolve quickly to match the speed and agility of coding in the app with AI, which is still unknown.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the MongoDB .local NYC event:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the MongoDB .local NYC event. Neither MongoDB Inc., the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE